To Kana, Love Sakura
by missmakochan
Summary: He loves her not because she's the new girl in time and it's exciting. He loves her because it's her (Kana x OC) (Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns)
1. Chapter 1

Sakura was greeted warmly by her grandparents and she was the happiest she had ever been for as long as she could remember. She loved her grandparents; they didn't have high expectations of her and they didn't pressure her to do what she didn't want to do. They loved her for who she was and encouraged her to do the best she could do. Her grandparents helped her settle in to the farmhouse as they did some last minute packing.

"We're leaving this house fully furnished for you, Sakura. It will make your transition to the farm life easier."

Sakura's grandparents were getting older and they were unable to take care of the farm anymore, especially because Sakura's grandmother recently sprained her wrist from slipping in the mud on a rainy day. Farm work without a helper made life a little harder for Sakura's grandfather so they decided to retire. They offered the farm as an inheritance to their children but no one wanted to leave their comfortable lives in the city. Sakura was the only one to accept their offer.

Before the sun went down, Sakura's grandfather showed her the basics of tilling the field and the purpose of each tool while Sakura's grandmother prepared dinner. Sakura's head was spinning as her grandfather explained farming thoroughly. She couldn't dig irrigation trenches too deeply. When watering the crops, she shouldn't overwater them or else the crops will drown. A weed looked like this while a crop sprout looked like that. Only certain crops could be planted during certain seasons while special crops could survive through all seasons. Planting fruit and tea trees required a lot of space and could only be planted in a certain area of the farm. Sakura could only nod and do her best to remember everything her grandfather had said. She hoped she would be able to keep up the farm's excellent condition after her grandparents left. The next morning, Sakura's grandparents left, but not before giving Sakura all their blessings.

"We promise we'll come visit, Sakura."

And before she knew it, Sakura was by herself on the farm.

The farm had a large field for farming and there was a small barn for some livestock and poultry. The farmhouse had two bedrooms and Sakura liked how each bedroom had a small bathroom; the living room had two couches and the kitchen was spacious with a round dining table that was enough for three. Now that her grandparents were gone, she felt a little lonely but the overall situation was exciting. As Sakura sat in her new bed, she couldn't help but wonder what to do next. Now that she was at her farm, what else was she going to do besides work? Farming sounded too simple but at the same time it sounded extremely complicated. She glanced at her phone on the nightstand; she didn't even tell her friends where she was going or for how long she would be absent from their lives. The countryside, after all, had no internet or phone service.

"Well," she sighed to herself, "the only thing left to do is keep moving forward."

When morning came, Sakura glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was nine o'clock. She groaned, remembering her grandfather's instruction that the ideal time for a farmer to start his day was at six o'clock in the morning. Sakura heaved herself into the bathroom and washed her face with cold water to rid herself of her sleepiness. She changed into a dress and a pair of working boots that her grandmother had given her as a gift. She tied her hair into a bun and set out to work on the farm. She weeded the fields and watered them, hoping that she wouldn't kill the crops her grandfather had left for her to take care of. She glanced around; there was nothing else to do. She decided to venture out into the village.

Konohana was a beautiful town with oriental-inspired buildings. The first building Sakura saw when she reached the town was a small house that belonged to Dirk, the mailman. He was a cheerful young man who delivered mail to both Konohana and Bluebell, a town that sat on the foot of the other side of the mountain. She met Sheng, an old man dressed in a panda-inspired outfit, who welcomed her to the village with a cup of sake and an offer to share panda stories with her whenever she had the time to visit. She politely accepted his offer. Sakura ventured into the town and met Ina, the town mayor, and her son Rahi. They introduced her to Gombe and Nori, an old man and his granddaughter who ran a store that sold seeds and tree sprouts. Dr. Ayame and her apprentice, Hiro, worked at the local clinic. Raul owned the general goods store and Yun owned the town's restaurant with her granddaughter, Ying. Mako and his niece, Reina, own the orchards in the southern part of town.

Everyone greeted Sakura cheerfully. It was refreshing to see a new face around town and they all wished her luck with her farming.

"Your grandmother was a fine woman. She even shared some of her recipes with me and allowed me to use them on my menu! If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask me, Sakura dear."

"Thank you, Yun."

Sakura's heart was brimming with happiness as she walked back to the farm. She didn't know what it was about the townspeople but they made her feel happy and welcome. She wasn't watching where she was going, which resulted in her bumping into someone.

"Whoa, sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!"

Strong arms reached out to steady her and Sakura blushed. The person she had bumped into was a really handsome guy.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault! I should've been paying more attention."

"Nah, don't worry about it! Are you new here? I haven't seen you around before."

"Well, if that's the case, then I guess I am new around here."

He laughed and Sakura found that she liked the sound of his laughter. It was warm and carefree.

"I guess you've got a point there. I'm Kana. I run the pet shop and horse stable."

"I'm Sakura. I live at the farm just down the road."

"Oh, you're Old Man Ito's grandkid? You're lucky! Old Man Ito taught me tons of stuff! It's too bad to see Old Man Ito leave but since you're his grankid, I'm sure you'll be cool like him."

Sakura chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"I hope so."

"Anyway, I gotta check up on my horses. See you around!"

"Yeah, see you around."

Sakura continued on her way to the farm, frequently glancing back at the handsome Kana until he disappeared from sight.


	2. Chapter 2

Bluebell was a quaint European-inspired town and it was opposite of Konohana. While Konohana focused on crops, Bluebell was focused on livestock. Sakura admired the ranches as she passed through the town, stopping to pet a horse that was leaning against the wooden fence.

"Hello, you're a new face 'round these parts!" A girl with red hair peered out from behind the horse and she smiled brightly at Sakura, "I'm Georgia! What's your name?"

"I'm Sakura. I just moved to Konohana."

Georgia's smile faltered slightly but she quickly recovered,

"Konohana? That's too bad. You should've came to Bluebell! Well, anyway, it seems like my horse really likes you! That's a rare sight."

"He's beautiful. I'm kind of lonely on my farm. I'm thinking about getting some animals to take care of on my farm."

"Oh! My dad owns the pet store. I can help you pick out some pets and livestock!"

"I'd like that! Thank you, Georgia."

Sakura was introduced to Grady, Georgia's father. Sakura bought two puppies, a border collie and an Australian Shepherd, and a kitten so she could teach them to take care of the livestock and poultry. Jessica owned the livestock store and she sold animal feed and medicine as well. Her two children, Ash and Cheryl, helped out around the ranch and the store. Eileen was the local carpenter and she helped out with projects in both Bluebell and Konohana. Diego and Enrique owned the general goods store in Bluebell; Raul was their triplet brother. Rutger and Rose lived at the city hall as the mayor of Bluebell. Howard and his daughter Laney worked at the cafe; Cam ran a flower shop and lived at the cafe with Howard and Laney. The people of Bluebell were friendly but they seemed regretful and slightly suspicious whenever Sakura mentioned the fact that she lived in Konohana. Sakura wondered if there was something going on in between the two towns.

Sakura returned home with three new pets, a cow named Corey, an ewe named Layla, and a chicken named Darleen. Ash helped her bring the animals to her farm and she thanked him with a cup of hot milk.

"Thank you! Hot milk is actually my favorite. It's really good and it's really comforting."

Ash thanked her for the drink and wished her luck with her livestock and farming. Sakura went into the barn and milked her cow before she sheared her sheep's wool. She brushed both animals thoroughly before she went to check up on her chicken. Jessica said it would take a few days before her chicken would produce eggs. Sakura's new pets were cautiously exploring her house, sniffing every crevice and crawling under every chair. Sakura named her Australian Shepherd Verde while she named her border collie Sasha. She decided to name her cat Cloud because of his milky gray eyes.

Jessica was generous enough to give Sakura three pet beds for free since she also bought pet food and food bowls for her pets. Sakura didn't realize how much effort was put into raising pets but she hoped that she would be able to take proper care of them. Her doubts were cast away when her pets climbed into her lap and fell asleep.

"I'll take good care of you guys," she said softly, "I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

Kana was intrigued by the sound of animals coming from Sakura's farm. He wondered if Sakura had gotten new animals. Since it was his day off, Kana decided he would go and see how Sakura's farm was doing. He was surprised to see a cow, ewe, and chicken lounging around the barn while two puppies romped around the yard and a kitten bathed in the warm sun. Sakura was watering the field and she looked up when he called out to her.

"Hi, Kana. What brings you here today?"

"It's my day off so I decided to come visit you."

Sakura blushed. He was the first visitor to come to her farm.

"Oh, thank you. That's very nice of you."

"No problem. Actually, I heard some animal noise so I decided to come check out your farm. I see you got some livestock to take care of."

Kana grinned when the puppies ran straight into his legs. He picked them up and cuddled them, chuckling when they tried to eat his fingers.

"I got them yesterday from Bluebell. Ash was kind enough to help transport the animals to my farm."

"Oh...Bluebell, huh?"

Sakura recognized the look that flashed across his eyes. It was the same look the Bluebell townspeople had the other day when she mentioned Konohana.

"Is something wrong with Bluebell?" she asked.

"No, I wouldn't say that. I'd say it's more like a century-long feud."

Sakura deadpanned,

"That's terrible! What happened between the two towns?"

"Well, the story goes that the two mayors of the towns fought over which town had better food. There used to be a tunnel that went through the mountain to connect the two towns. Because the mayors fought, the Harvest Goddess closed it so the tunnel is inaccessible now."

Sakura shook her head. She couldn't believe that such a small matter was blown out of proportion and caused the two towns to hate each other.

"But everyone is so nice. Is it really necessary to have such a feud?"

Kana chuckled and roughly patted Sakura's head,

"Ah, don't worry about it. You're new here so it's natural that you don't understand. Anyway, do you need any help? I'd be glad to lend a hand since I'm free today."

"I should be fine. I'm almost done with my chores today anyway."

"Great! Let's go hand fishing!"

"Hand fishing?"

"Don't tell me you've never done it before," Sakura shook her head and Kana sighed, shaking his head in disappointment, "You're missing out on one of the greatest things in the world. C'mon, I'll teach you!"

Sakura barely had time to put down her watering hose before Kana grabbed her hand and led her out of the village.

There was a river flowing from the top of the mountain and because it was spring, the water was crisp and cold. Kana took off his boots and rolled his pants up to his knees. Sakura stood by the riverbank, hesitant to follow him into the water.

"C'mon, Sakura, don't be a killjoy! It'll be fun, I promise!"

Sakura reluctantly removed her boots and she yelped as she stepped into the cold water. She stumbled and thoughtlessly put her arm out on Kana's shoulder to steady herself. Sakura blushed when he put an arm around her waist to help her cross over to where he was standing.

"All right, the key to hand fishing is patience and precision! You just stand here for a moment and then...bam!"

Kana swiftly reached into the water and his hands emerged from the water with a wriggling fish. Sakura was amazed; she never knew a fish could be caught with bare hands.

"That's amazing!" Sakura gasped.

Kana was proud of his catch and he threw the fish into a bucket he had brought along and placed on the shore.

"Thanks! Now, you try."

Needless to say, Sakura failed terribly. Her most successful catch was a long weed.

"This sucks! It's so hard!" Sakura whined.

Kana laughed at her attempts and he patted her head.

"It's okay, Sakura. It takes practice. Maybe next time, you'll be able to catch something. Don't give up!"

Before they knew it, the sun was setting and the bucket was overflowing with fish. Even though Sakura didn't catch anything, she was impressed with Kana's fishing skills.

"You're amazing, Kana. Maybe someday, I'll be able to impress you with my fishing skills."

Sakura blushed at her words but Kana didn't seem to notice.

"I impressed you? Haha, that's awesome! We'd better start heading back before it gets dark."

Kana was kind enough to walk Sakura back to her farm.

"Thank you for teaching me how to hand fish, Kana. I learned a lot from you today."

"Ah, it was nothing. Maybe next time we can fish together again."

Kana left the bucket of fish with Sakura and he waved cheerfully as he made his way back home. Sakura sighed as she went into her house. Her feet were numb from the cold water but it was worth hanging out with Kana.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a few weeks since Sakura had moved into Konohana and she was beginning to get used to her new life. She learned how to ship her crops and animal products in the shipping bin to make money and Reina taught her how to forage for herbs and other edible things in the mountains. Yun taught her how to make some dishes and she suggested that Sakura master the art of making curry.

"Why is that?" Sakura asked.

Yun giggled,

"Because Kana loves curry."

Sakura blushed and she shook her head.

"Kana is just a friend, Yun."

Sakura also began making friends with the villagers by talking with them and occasionally bringing them gifts. Kana was the easiest to befriend because he loved his horses so bringing him gifts for his horses was almost the same as bringing a gift to him.

On this particular day, Sakura went to visit Kana in hopes of buying a horse. When she asked him, his eyes lit up and he immediately started rambling on about horses.

"Horses are the most beautiful animals in the world! Everything about them is perfect: their legs, their mane and tail, their bodies, and their eyes! Horses have the most beautiful eyes in the world!"

Sakura sighed as Kana continued on about horses and their beauty. Sakura only caught words and phrases as she examined Kana with her eyes. He was tall-her head reached his shoulders-and his biceps were definitely his defining point. She thought the tribal tattoos around his left arm made him even more charming. He was also very kind but he was prone to spontaneous actions [according to Hiro, who talked about an incident that happened during a cherry blossom viewing festival a few years ago]. Sakura sighed; she admitted to herself that she had a crush on Kana but from the way he was talking, it seemed like he had forgotten that girls existed. Sakura snapped out of her thoughts when Kana fixed his eyes on her.

"You think so, too, right? That horses are amazing creatures?"

Sakura automatically nodded,

"They sure are."

Kana grinned triumphantly,

"Right? Anyway, let me show you my horses! I promise I'll find a perfect one for you!"

Sakura thought back to Yun's words and she couldn't help but wonder if Kana would notice her if she made him curry.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day was the Cooking Festival. It was the first time that Sakura had been asked to participate and she was excited because she had missed out on the other Cooking Festivals. The theme for the Cooking Festival was "main dish" and Sakura knew exactly what she wanted to cook. She made a spicy curry dish and Sakura was extremely proud of herself. It tasted exactly the same as when she made it with Yun a few days ago. She packed the curry and she also packed a pretty dish to plate it for the competition.

The two towns held the Cooking Festival at the top of the mountain in a wide field that overlooked a beautiful scenery of mountains. Two large columns were lit with fire; supposedly, the Harvest Goddess lit the flames herself and they had been burning ever since Bluebell and Konohana were established. As Sakura plated her food and set it on the table for Konohana, she couldn't help but notice the hostility in the air. Ina, whom Sakura had never seen angry before, was burning with subtle irritation when Mayor Rutger came into sight with the Bluebell townspeople.

"So, we meet again on the battle field."

"I hope you're prepared to taste a crushing defeat, Rutger."

"I'm afraid we will be the victors of this battle. Perfection is not for everyone but it is the definition of Bluebell's cuisine."

"We'll see about that!"

Sakura frowned; she wasn't so sure that she was excited anymore.

The judge for the Cooking Festival was introduced as the gourmet Pierre. He tasted the dishes from both sides and wrote down notes as he went on with the competition. He took his time sampling each dish and considered his decision carefully before he announced Bluebell as the winner. Bluebell celebrated loudly but Konohana was obviously displeased with the judge's decision.

"I told you, Ina! We are perfection at its finest!"

"Shut up, Rutger! We'll make you pay the next time we meet!"

And with that, the Festival concluded and Pierre left.

The Konohana townspeople comforted the three competitors, assuring them that they would win the next competition. Kana noticed that Sakura was on the verge of tears. He wondered if the competition was too intense for her; he wanted to comfort her.

"It's okay, Sakura. We'll definitely win next time. Your cooking was awesome."

"Thanks, Kana, but...that's not why I'm sad."

Kana followed Sakura's gaze and saw that she was staring at Bluebell.

"Are you jealous of their victory?"

"No, that's not it. It's a Cooking Festival, not a war. Why can't everyone be happy for each other? If this is how all the Cooking Festivals will be...I'm not sure I want to participate anymore, Kana."

Sakura sadly walked away with her curry dish untouched. He glanced back at the Bluebell townspeople and went home with Sakura's words in the back of his mind.


	6. Chapter 6

Kana was in the field brushing Hayate but he stopped when he heard laughter. He leaned over the fence and saw Sakura walking down the road hand in hand with Ying and Rahi.

"And then it went _bam _and flew straight into my mom's face! She was so mad that she grounded me for two weeks!"

Sakura laughed so hard that she was wiping tears from her eyes. Rahi seemed proud of himself for being able to tell such a funny story.

"You're so brave, Rahi," Ying said, "Miss Sakura, you have a really pretty laugh."

"You think so?" Sakura took a few breaths to calm herself down, "Thank you, Miss Ying. I think you're absolutely beautiful."

Ying blushed and Rahi tugged at Sakura's hand,

"Hey! I'm the only one who's allowed to say that!"

"Now, now, Rahi, you'll have plenty of changes to tell Miss Ying how much you like her."

"W-what? Who says I like her?"

Ying smiled happily; she loved being with Rahi and she was happy that Sakura was with them. She saw Kana staring at them and she waved to him.

"Kana, do you want to go with us? Miss Sakura is taking us to go bug catching outside the village."

Kana coolly waved his hand dismissively,

"I'd love to but I've got a lot of work to do around the ranch today."

"That's too bad."

Kana rubbed his ears. Was his hearing off? Did Sakura sound...disappointed? Luckily, Rahi brought the mood back up by teasing Kana.

"Hah! You're just a scaredy cat because you don't want to lose to me!"

Kana laughed,

"Who's a scaredy cat? I'm being responsible, kid! Next time, I promise I'll go bug catching with you guys!"

Kana didn't know why he felt regretful as they walked away. Sakura turned and smiled at him,

"Kana, I'll catch a cool bug and bring it back to you!"

Kana nodded and waved to them.

Later that evening, when he was done with everything he needed to do, Kana found himself pacing around his house. He didn't know why he was pacing but he was restless and didn't have the willpower to sit still or go to sleep. There was a knock on the door and Kana jumped, fighting the urge to throw the door open. Sakura stood outside his door with a smile and with a small container in her hands.

"Hey, Kana."

"Where are the kids?"

"I took them home before they got in trouble. I didn't want to be labeled as irresponsible."

Kana chuckled but he barely heard her words. Sakura's dress was covered with splotches of dirt and water and her boots were caked with mud.

"Looks like you had quite the adventure."

Sakura laughed sheepishly,

"You could say that. Oh, before I forget, here's the cool bug I promised you."

Kana was surprised and he accepted Sakura's gift.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome! Good night, Kana!"

Kana stood outside his door to make sure Sakura was at least going the right direction. When she disappeared from sight, he closed the door and wondered how a girl had the guts to catch his favorite beetle.


	7. Chapter 7

"Kana! It's been a while since I've seen you!"

Hiro waved to Kana when he walked into Yun's restaurant. Kana let Yun know that he wanted the usual and he went to sit across from Hiro.

"Has it been that long? I thought I saw you on Monday."

Hiro chuckled,

"I know, but it feels like I haven't seen you in a while. You've been hanging out with Sakura a lot lately."

"Sakura? Yeah, she's a cool girl! She's fun to be around!"

"Yes, she's very sweet. She even helped me gather herbs yesterday. We had a good conversation about the medical field."

Kana's heart felt uneasy but he didn't know why.

"The medical field, huh? That's some serious stuff."

"Not really. She said she almost became a doctor but decided to come here instead. She's quite an interesting girl."

Kana sighed, trying to maintain his cool.

"That's cool. Do you like her?"

"What? Sakura? Why do you ask?"

Kana's eyes narrowed slightly; Hiro was blushing and stammering.

The bell above the door to the restaurant jingled and Sakura walked into the restaurant.

"Sakura! Over here!"

Sakura let Yun know what she wanted and she went over to join the two males at their table.

"Hi Hiro. Hi Kana. What a coincidence!"

"Isn't it? I was just telling Kana about our outing yesterday."

"Oh yeah! That was fun. If you ever need my help again, let me know!"

"I'll definitely take you up on that offer. Anyway, my break is over so I've got to get back to the clinic. Have fun, you two!"

Hiro patted Kana's shoulder before he left.

"So...Hiro told me that you almost became a doctor."

"Oh, he told you that? It's nothing special."

"But that's a pretty serious thing, though. Why'd you come here?"

Yun interrupted them briefly to bring their orders. Kana ordered a plate of spicy curry while Sakura ordered a bowl of udon noodles with tempura shrimp and tofu. Sakura began her story after Yun left.

"Well, my parents wanted me to be a doctor. I went took a lot of advanced level courses throughout high school and after I graduated, I took a year off to work for a while. My parents were pressuring me to go to medical school but it just wasn't my thing. I hated all things medicine and the knowledge I have now is just because I've had to cram the information for exams and I've been unable to forget what I've learned."

Kana laughed at Sakura's last statement,

"You're a terrible student."

"Am not! I graduated from high school with a high gpa!"

"I'm sure you did!"

"Right. Hiro is a really sweet guy, though. He explained a lot things to me when we were forging in the mountain. Did you know you could use a weed to soothe a toothache? He also pointed out the white poisonous mushrooms that Dr. Ayame likes to use for her secret potions."

Sakura shuddered at the thought but Kana wasn't too amused. He was too busy trying to figure out why he didn't like the sound of Hiro's name at the moment.

"Hiro, huh? That guy still has a lot to learn. Dr. Ayame says it'll take years before he becomes a good doctor."

"Really? I think he's making good progress. He'll become a fine doctor."

"Maybe, maybe not. He's got a lot of growing up to do before he becomes a man. He could use a few muscles if you ask me. That guy can barely carry three logs in the winter time!"

"Kana...are you jealous?"

Kana nearly spit out his drink. He stared at Sakura, incredulous and red-faced.

"What? Why would I be jealous? There's nothing to be jealous about!"

Sakura giggled and she handed a napkin to him.

"Hiro talked a lot about you yesterday."

"He did?"

"He did. He talked about how cool you were and he really admired your love for your horses. He even hoped to gain some muscles so he could be like you."

Kana blushed and he felt embarrassed. He didn't know Hiro felt that way.

"That guy...he's a good guy."

"Isn't he?"

From her place behind the front counter, Yun smiled as she watched the two young adults continue their conversation. She was glad to see that Kana was learning about something that no one else in the village could teach him except for Sakura.


	8. Chapter 8

Kana didn't know why, but he found himself thinking about Sakura every day. It's not that he intentionally thought about her but she would randomly pop up in his thoughts throughout the day. The other day, he invited Sakura over to meet Hayate. He told her about how Hayate is getting older and isn't able to do as much as she used to when she was younger. Sakura showed sympathy and praised Hayate on being so strong throughout the years. Hayate immediately took a liking to Sakura and for Kana, that was a personal win. Hayate was polite to everyone she met but it was rare for her to like someone almost as much as she liked Kana.

Konohana was lacking in bachelorettes, since there was only Nori and Reina, and Bluebell wasn't an option. Kana was sure that he was attracted to Sakura because of her personality and not because she was the new girl in town.

Wait, he liked Sakura?

He tried to think back to the silly conversations Nori and Reina used to have when they were younger. Nori often talked about how in fairy tales, the princess and prince always fell in love because they were meant to be together. They knew they were meant to be together because they always had butterflies in their stomachs and the time they spent together felt like a miracle. Reina concluded that the feeling of butterflies in the stomach was just a silly thing while Kana just laughed at their girly ideas.

Just as Kana was sorting out his thoughts, Sakura passed by and tapped his shoulder.

"Kana, it's rare for you to be lost in thought."

Kana was glad that the fence stood in between him and Sakura. At least he could look cool as he leaned against the fence. He noticed that something was different about her and realized that she got a new outfit. Sakura seemed to catch his train of thought and she smiled,

"Nori made these for me as an early birthday present. I like it but do I look funny?"

"No! No, it's not that! It's just...it really suits you. You look...really...nice."

Kana and Sakura were both blushing at the compliment but neither of them wanted to admit it.

"Thank you, Kana. That's very sweet of you to say."

"It's the truth."

Both their cheeks turned a deeper shade of red and Sakura quickly excused herself, saying that she had to finish some chores at her farm. Kana agreed and used the same excuse. They bid a quick good-bye to each other and blushed when they caught each other glancing back at each other.

Kana hummed happily as he brushed Hayate's coat. If this is what being in love felt like, then he was 120% sure that he was in love, and that he liked it, and that he liked Sakura.


	9. Chapter 9

Hiro said that Sakura liked bouquets so Kana thought he would bring one to her. He tried to think up some excuses to explain why he was giving her such a nice gift.

"Because you're pretty. No, she'll think I'm a creep. Because...you're new here. That doesn't make sense; she's been here for a few months now. Because…"

Kana snapped out of his thoughts when Sakura's dog, Verde, came running full speed at him. The dog jumped and circled around Kana numerous times while running halfway towards the house before coming back. Kana instantly knew something was up; dogs didn't act this way without a reason.

"What's up, boy? Did something happen on the farm?"

Verde whined and ran off towards the farmhouse; Kana ran as fast as he could to keep up with the dog.

His heart raced and his eyes widened. Sakura was collapsed in front of her house with the door partially opened. Kana couldn't help if she was breathing or not; he fervently prayed to the Harvest Goddess that she was still breathing. Sasha was nudging Sakura's body, trying to revive her master.

"Sakura! Are you all right?"

The bouquet tossed aside and forgotten, Kana scooped Sakura into his arms and felt her forehead. Her face was flushed and her skin was pale but she didn't seem to be injured. Kana cursed; he didn't know what to do. He took deep breaths and tried to think calmly.

"Whatever. I can't do this. Verde and Sasha, look after the house!"

Kana carried Sakura in his arms and he ran as fast as he could to the clinic.

Luckily, the front door had been propped open to let in the cool spring air and it allowed Kana to burst into the lobby without much difficulty. Dr. Ayame and Hiro were surprised by his sudden appearance but they quickly caught on to the situation.

"Set her down on a bed, Kana. Hiro, go fetch a basin of cold water and a towel."

Dr. Ayame cooly instructed the boys as she grabbed some supplies from her bag. She felt Sakura's forehead and used the stethoscope to listen to her heartbeat. Kana paced around nervously and Hiro arrived just in time to hear Dr. Ayame's conclusion.

"She's not injured. She's got a bad cold and it seems that she's overworked herself, which is why she fainted. It's a good thing you brought her when you did, Kana; she might've developed pneumonia if she was discovered later.

Kana breathed a sigh of relief but when he sat down, he was shaking. Hiro noticed this and he placed the cool damp towel on Sakura's forehead before he went to the kitchen to grab a cup of hot tea for Kana.

Kana was thankful for the cup of tea. He slowly sipped it and Hiro sat beside him.

"You look shaken up. Are you all right?"

Kana nodded and took another sip of tea,

"I'm fine. I just...panicked, that's all."

Hiro patted Kana's shoulder to comfort him,

"It's all right. Everyone gets afraid some time. I'm glad you were the one who found Sakura, though."

Kana nodded absentmindedly, his gaze focused on Sakura. Dr. Ayame approached the two males with a smile,

"Good news, boys. Sakura will be fine. She just needs to rest in bed and take it easy for a few days, that's all. Good job playing the hero, Kana."

Dr. Ayame winked and Kana looked away, embarrassed by Dr. Ayame's teasing.

"I wasn't being a hero. I was just doing the right thing."

"But you're her hero. I'm sure that's something you're proud of," Kana rolled his eyes, "Anyway, she'll have to stay here for the time being. You can go home now, Kana."

"But...my animals."

Everyone turned their attention to Sakura, who was trying to sit up. Dr. Ayame gently pushed Sakura back onto the bed.

"You have to lie down, Sakura, otherwise you'll faint."

"Okay. But my animals...I can't stay here. I need to go back home."

"Now, now, Sakura, don't try and be brave. It's okay to be weak. It happens to the best of us."

Sakura blinked back tears and she sniffled. She didn't like it when others saw her vulnerability but there was nothing she could do. In the back of her mind, she knew Dr. Ayame had a point.

"I could take her back home. I'll take the next few days off and take care of her until she gets better." Kana offered.

Hiro sweatdropped,

"Are you...sure, Kana? You're not exactly...tender and endearing."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Dr. Ayame giggled,

"What do you think, Sakura? Can you handle being at Kana's mercy for the next few days?"

"I'll do anything to go home. Not that I don't like you, Dr. Ayame, but I'd much rather be in my own bed."

"I don't blame you, Sakura. I'll have Hiro deliver the medicine after I give you a prescription. Be save, you two."

Sakura was too dizzy to be embarrassed that Kana was carrying her bridal style as they left the clinic. The sun had set but there were lanterns lighting the way throughout the town.

"Am I heavy? I'm sorry if I am."

"Nah, don't sweat it. I've carried heavier things than you."

"...So I am heavy."

Kana mentally smacked himself.

"What happened, anyway? Do you remember anything?"

"I was milking Corey and I was about to gather some eggs but I became light headed and I wanted to go lay down for a bit inside the house. I guess I didn't make it there, huh?"

"Like hell you did. Dr. Ayame says you overworked yourself."

"I guess I did," Sakura chuckled softly, "How did I get to the clinic, anyway?"

"I carried you there."

"How did you know I fainted? You wouldn't know unless you came to my farm…"

Sakura was sure that Kana was blushing but the dim lighting prevented her from fully seeing his face.

"I just thought I'd come and see if you needed help, that's all. Why is it taking so long to get to your house?"

Kana nearly tripped when Sakura snuggled into his chest. He hoped that she didn't hear his pounding heart.

"Thank you, Kana."

He sighed and surrendered himself to his feelings,

"You're welcome."


	10. Chapter 10

Rain. Sakura never thought she'd be overjoyed to hear the sound of rain when she first woke up. She quickly changed out of her pajamas and, without even bothering to brush her teeth or put on shoes, Sakura ran outside and stood with her arms spread wide as the rain fell. She took a deep breath and exhaled happily; dancing in the rain had always been on her bucket list. As Sakura danced around her front yard, her two dogs joined her and pranced in circles around her while her cat opted to sit at the window and watch its companions with bored eyes. Sakura observed her crop fields with satisfaction. With the rain, she wouldn't have to worry about watering the crops. The rain was refreshing and cool; it was totally different from the rain in the city. Sakura was in such a good mood that she decided to go for a walk around the village. She instructed her dogs to go back inside before she left the farm.

Sakura ran into Yun, who was bringing some tea to Gombe and Nori.

"Oh my! Sakura, dear! Where is your umbrella? You'll get sick that way!"

"Don't worry, Yun!" Sakura said with a big smile, "The rain feels wonderful. I want to walk in it until it stops."

Yun sighed but she couldn't scold Sakura, not when she had that peaceful smile on her face.

"All right, dear. Make sure you don't get sick, though. Dr. Ayame will not be pleased if you end up back in her clinic so soon."

"Yes, Yun."

The village was quiet. Everyone was indoors, relaxing in their own way. Sakura found it peaceful to walk through the village with no one around. It was like walking through a magical forest. Sakura giggled at her imagination and she leaned against the rail of the bridge that overlooked the stream that ran through Konohana. Even the fish were happy that it was raining; they swam in circles under the bridge and some even jumped out of the water.

"Sakura?"

Sakura was startled by Kana, who was standing with an umbrella on the opposite end of the bridge.

"Oh, Kana! What are you up to?"

"I was just helping out Mako with some stuff at his house. What are you doing here without an umbrella?"

"Oh, just enjoying the rain. Isn't it nice?"

Kana shrugged,

"I guess. But your clothes are soaked through."

"It's okay! I'm having fun!"

Kana tried his best not to stare so hard at Sakura. Her clothes were completely soaked, tightly hugging her body and emphasizing her assets. Kana cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

"Have you ever danced in the rain before, Kana?"

"I haven't. I've never even danced before."

"Great! I'll teach you! But...only if you'll ditch the umbrella."

Sakura winked as she held her hand out to Kana. He blinked and glanced up at his umbrella. Slowly, he closed his umbrella and put it down. He decided that since Sakura was barefoot, he should do the same.

Sakura's heart pranced in her chest when Kana stepped towards her and took her hand.

"Okay, you got me. Now what?"

Sakura looked up and met Kana's gaze. His eyes were glowing with curiosity and amusement; his lips were curved in a genuine smile. Sakura's heart skipped a beat and she cleared her throat to remind herself to focus.

"Well, you take my hand and hold it like this. Then you put your hand on the small of my back and I put my hand on your shoulder. You imagine some beautiful music in your head...and you dance."

As if on cue, they began to dance. Kana nervously glanced down at their feet to make sure he wasn't stepping on her feet. He remembered the time that Nori tried to teach him how to dance; she couldn't walk for a few days because he stepped on her feet so many times. Kana released his breath when Sakura laughed; he didn't realize he was holding his breath. Sakura twirled out of his arms before coming back in to his embrace.

"You're a wonderful dancer, Kana. Why don't you try leading now?"

Kana gulped,

"I'm terrible at that stuff."

"You can do it. Lead me wherever you want to."

_I want to lead you to many places_, Kana sighed.

Somehow, Kana led Sakura towards the big sakura tree that stood in the middle of town. It was in bloom and Kana imagined that dancing under it could somehow be romantic. Sakura never stopped smiling, even when they almost slipped on the slippery glass. She laughed and Kana found himself laughing because of her. He sighed softly; he couldn't stop staring at her. The shape of her eyes, the curve of her nose, her cute lips and her curves...they were all so beautiful. Her laugh was musical and she was always so positive. She wanted the best for everyone around her. She was beautiful.

Sakura stopped dancing when she saw Kana's serious expression. She wondered if he was thinking about something important.

"Are you all right, Kana?" she asked.

"Huh? No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about Hayate, that's all."

"Is she all right?"

"She's totally fine. Anyway, I think it's time you got home and took a warm bath or something. I don't want to have to carry you to Dr. Ayame again."

"Aww, do I have to?"

Kana grinned; the pout on her lips was totally cute.

"You have to. C'mon, I'll walk you home."


	11. Chapter 11

Kana was nervous for Sakura. She was competing again in the Cooking Festival and he remembered her reaction the last time the Festival was held. Kana held his breath. Bluebell was declared the winner again. He was prepared to comfort Sakura [if she needed a hug, he would give her a hug] but instead of joining immediately joining the Konohana side, Sakura ran over to Bluebell's side and congratulated the competitors. He couldn't hear what they were saying but the expressions on their faces were expressions of shock and surprise.

Sakura seemed quite satisfied with herself when she rejoined the Konohana side. The majority of the townspeople had already left but Kana was waiting for her.

"What was that all about?" he asked her.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought I'd congratulate them on their win."

"I hope you know that Ina didn't look too pleased with what you did."

"I don't care," Sakura frowned, "Well, I guess I shouldn't say that. I do care, but nothing's going to get better if we all sit around and do nothing. I thought I'd do something. Besides, Jessia agreed to give me her recipe for the amazing baked lasagna dish she brought. Now _that's_ victory."

Kana couldn't help but shake his head. Sakura never ceased to amaze him but that was one of his favorite things about her.


	12. Chapter 12

"Marriage?"

Nori blinked; Kana was staring at her as if she had just cursed him.

"Yes, marriage. Did I say something weird?"

Kana shook his head. The word 'marriage' made his head spin.

"That's a huge commitment, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. But it's wonderful. My grandparents had a wonderful marriage and even now, my grandfather still loves my grandmother even though she's in heaven now."

Kana glanced down at his clenched hands. It had been years since he'd seen his father and his mother was watching over him from heaven. He didn't remember much about his parents' marriage. Were they happy during their time together?

"Marriage, huh? Now that's a big idea."

"Have you been thinking about it, Kana?"

"No, not really. Not until you mentioned it, at least."

Nori giggled and she held up the shirt she had been stitching.

"I think you and Sakura would have lovely children."

Kana nearly choked on his saliva. Nori patted his back.

"I don't think she's interested in me like that."

"Don't be silly, Kana. The two of you obviously like each other. I think there's enough evidence to say that you two harbor very strong feelings for each other. I think if you asked her, she would say yes if you proposed to her."

Kana sighed. He honestly hadn't been thinking about marriage at all until now. Was he too young to get married? Or too old? He was only twenty-four; that's not so old, right? And Sakura was two years younger. Was age even a factor to consider in marriage? Kana's head was spinning.

Sakura also nearly choked on her saliva when Nori asked her the same question later that day.

"Marriage? That's such a huge commitment!"

"Of course it is, Sakura. But have you thought about it?"

Sakura blushed. Of course she'd thought about it. Numerous times, actually. Nori guessed her thoughts and she patted Sakura's head.

"It's just a thought, Sakura. Kana has been thinking about it, too."

Sakura's cheeks turned a bright red. Kana was thinking about marriage? Sakura tried to calm herself as her thoughts sped forward at the speed of light. She didn't want to jump to conclusions and she didn't want to get her hopes up. She had to think things through.

"That's nice. I'm sure he'd make a great husband."

"He sure would."

Nori gave Sakura a sly grin.

"Nori, he doesn't even like me. He's not interested in me."

"How do you know?"

"A girl's intuition, Nori."

"Right. Why don't you ask him?"

"What?"

"Just ask him about his feelings for you. Kana is a very honest guy. I'm sure he'll give you an answer."

Sakura nodded. Nori had a point; maybe it was time to find out Kana's true feelings. She bit her lip and placed a hand on her chest. Was she ready to hear Kana's answer to her question?


	13. Chapter 13

"So...nice day, huh?"

"Yeah."

Kana mentally groaned. This was the most awkward moment in his entire life. He and Sakura were sitting on a bench in a little area by Yun's restaurant. He'd always hated that area because of its awkward location but he didn't want to be disturbed by any of the Konohana folks. He glanced at Sakura and saw that her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. He wanted to slap himself for going against his gut and choosing such a bad location.

"So what do you say we go somewhere else? This place is kind of...awkward."

Sakura chuckled and she glanced at him.

"Where should we go?"

Kana looked up at the sky; the sun was setting.

"I know somewhere. Let's take Hayate."

Sakura's eyes widened,

"Will Hayate be okay?"

Kana nodded,

"She'll be fine. For you, she'd happily go anywhere."

Kana wanted to offer his hand to Sakura but he still felt awkward so he walked ahead while Sakura trailed behind him.

Hayate happily greeted her two favorite people when they entered the stables.

"Hey, old girl. Ready for an adventure?"

Hayate whinnied and Kana helped Sakura up before he climbed onto Hayate.

"Hold on to me," he said softly.

Sakura did as she was told and she blushed as she put her hands on his hips, her fingers lacing around his belt loops. She didn't want to fully touch him; she didn't want to make him feel even more awkward around her.

Sakura wasn't sure where Kana was taking her but she knew they were going up the mountain. She had never been in the woods when it was dark but she found that she wasn't afraid. There was a mysterious aura in the air and Sakura wondered if it was because Kana was with her.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked.

"You'll see."

Sakura was intrigued by Kana's vague answer. Once they reached the top of the mountain, Sakura realized that they were at the festival grounds. The field was completely empty and the torches of fire had dimmed but they were still burning. With the bright moonlight and light breeze, the view of the mountains was dismounted and he helped Sakura down from Hayate. He spread a blanket on the ground and they sat down while Hayate grazed freely a few feet away from them.

They sat quietly and enjoyed the view. It was something that they didn't see every day or every season. The change in the atmosphere was nice but there was still something that prevented them from having clear minds. Kana cleared his throat. He decided to cut the chase.

"What do you think about me, Sakura?"

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't expect this question from him.

"I think you're a great guy, Kana."

"Is that really what you think, Sakura?"

Sakura peeked a glance at Kana from the corner of her eye. He was looking at her now and he wore a serious expression on his face.

"W-well, what about you? What do you think about me?"

"I…"

Kana observed Sakura's face; she was patiently waiting for his answer. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Did he really want to say this to her?

Her eyes were glowing and Kana wondered if it was his imagination or if it was a hint for him to tell her how he really felt.

_Tell her_.

Kana pursed his lips. What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if they were just friends?

_It's now or never. _

Kana cursed the voice in the back of his head.

"I like you, Sakura. I really like you. In fact, I think I might love you." Sakura was surprised but Kana kept going, "You're incredibly kind and I can see why Ying and Rahi like you so much. That's not why I like you, though. You're helpful and considerate and that's why the elders like you a lot. That's not why I like you, though. You're beautiful and creative and you always see the good in others. You saw the good in me but that's not why I like you either."

Sakura suddenly felt breathless. Kana had been leaning towards her as he spoke and she found herself being drawn to him. There was a feeling welling in her heart and it was a feeling that she'd never experienced before.

"Why do you like me, Kana?" she asked softly.

Kana took her hands and held them gently as he gazed into Sakura's eyes.

"I like you...because it's you."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat and a smile blossomed onto her lips. Her eyes sparkled and she felt like she could fly away in the night sky if she dared to jump.

"Me, too, Kana. I like you because it's you. I'm in love with you, Kana."

Kana leaned in and they kissed, thousands of feelings exploding in their hearts like the stars in the night sky.


End file.
